Ethnic, Gender, and Other Demographic Disparities in Cochleovestibular Symptoms in the United States

To analyze demographic disparities in the prevalence of cochleovestibular symptoms including hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database was queried for the prevalence of cochleovestibular symptoms among random samples of US survey participants between 1999 and 2018. Welch t test, mean difference, and χ 2 analyses were performed to compare demographic differences between healthy and symptomatic patients. Multivariate logistic regression was also performed for each symptom.

Participants who reported having hearing loss (OR=3.93, P <0.001) or tinnitus (OR=2.04, P <0.001) were significantly older than healthy individuals. However, older age was not a risk factor for having dizziness ( P =0.281). Similarly, BMI was significantly higher among participants with hearing loss (OR=1.33, P <0.001) and tinnitus (OR=1.27, P <0.001), although this was not true of dizziness ( P =0.992). Men had a higher likelihood of developing hearing loss (OR=1.75, P <0.001), whereas women had a higher likelihood of developing dizziness (OR=1.73, P <0.001). No significant gender difference was evident for tinnitus ( P =0.304). Black, Hispanic, and multi-racial participants were less likely than White subjects to develop hearing loss or tinnitus (all P <0.001). In contrast, the odds of developing dizziness were greater among all ethnicities other than White; however, this greater odd was only statistically significant in Hispanics ( P =0.033).

Cochleovestibular symptoms' prevalence varies across US demographics and racial/ethnical groups. Knowledge of these disparities, whether the result of biological or societal effects, can help identify at-risk populations. These insights can further inform health care policy decisions and improve care delivery for patients affected by these disorders.